reviewed by Kaitlin Ruether
Waterfalls. Shoes. Afterglows. These are a few of Selfoss’ favourite things. Or, at least, this triad is what they list under the “interests” section of their Facebook page. And the connection? Somehow you can hear each of these things within the falling, tapping, and ever-glowing music of Time and Time Again.
Named after a waterfall in Northern Iceland, the Toronto three-piece craft hazy shoegaze soundscapes. After releasing their first single “Aurelia” in September 2015, they wisely decided it was time for an EP.
Time and Time Again is capacious throughout, and seems to sprawl beyond the four tracks. “The Same” ripples with layers of synth washes. “I’ll know that everything’s the same. It’s all the same,” Rodi Dhjaku sings as the drums crash and the guitar finds a crescendo alongside his voice. The theme of modern boredom carries into the more elastic “Waste of Time”, emphasized by distant vocals and a nostalgic 80s ambiance, and even into the repetition of the lines, “Oh, yet you’re calling out my name. Everything’s the same” in “Afterglow.”
“Afterglow” is a track made of shifts, and it gives the EP the kick of variation that it needs. The nimble synth breakdown at the conclusion jolts the album’s dreamy pace before flowing back down into “Sniper”, which conducts a retro-electronic spark and speaks of the interrelationship between love and waiting. “‘Cause I loved you then, I love you now, time and time again,” Dhjaku closes.
We all need to stop, breath, and take in our situation sometimes. For your next soul-break, I recommend swimming your way under Time and Time Again and letting the sound wash over you. Like, well, a waterfall.
Top Track: “Afterglow”
Rating: Proud Hoot (Really Good)
